Johannesburg, 16 October 2023 – A belligerent Sunette Viljoen-Louw, with the backing of Kirstie Thomson’s sweet strokeplay, carried our DP World Lions Ladies team to an emphatic seven-wicket victory with 20 balls to spare against the Fidelity Titans in the CSA Women’s Provincial T20 match at the DP World Wanderers Stadium on Sunday, 15 October.
The Titans had won the toss and elected to bat first under overcast skies. The DP World Wanderers often loans the bowlers some assistance early in the morning, and the Lions attack made good use of it as new-ball bowlers Refilwe Moncho and Jameelah Shaikjee piled on early pressure.
Moncho castled Simone Lourens, a centurion in the one-day match, for a first-ball duck and then spinner Jenna Evans had Titans captain Robyn Searle (8) caught at mid-off in her first over.
The Titans were only able to gather some momentum towards the middle of their innings as Eliz-Mari Marx (45 off 30 balls) fired five fours and two sixes and was well-supported by Gandhi Jafta (25) and Amogelang Maphangula (24).
Both Jafta and Marx fell to fine catches by wicketkeeper Mapoo, picking up edged cut shots, off Evans and leg-spinner Madison Landsman respectively, while Maphangula fell to a sensational catch by Karabo Meso, running in and diving forward at cow-corner, off Samantha Schutte.
The accurate Schutte, gaining late inswing, led an excellent finish with the ball by the DP World Lions, taking three for 27 in her four overs.
Moncho took another wicket to finish with highly-pleasing figures of two for 21 in her four overs, while Evans was also precise with two for 26 in four overs.
After a solid bowling display had restricted the Titans to 140 for eight, Viljoen-Louw blasted a powerful 51 off just 36 balls, with five fours and two sixes, to lay the platform for another commanding chase by our Pride, who beat the same opponents in their 50-over match the previous day by four wickets with two balls to spare, chasing down 265.
Viljoen-Louw batted through to the 11th over of the T20 innings and was then stumped off the bowling of Monalisa Legodi, but the experienced Thomson then took the reins and stroked eight fours as she hurried to 40 not out off just 26 balls to seal the victory in the 17th over. Thomson hit the ball back over the bowlers’ heads most impressively.
Earlier, Palesa Mapoo had supported her fellow opener Viljoen-Louw extremely well, scoring 32 off 21 balls before being run out as she advanced too far down the pitch after pushing the ball into the off-side.
Evans had been the heroine of the 50-over triumph the previous day, scoring an incredible 104 off just 97 deliveries as she and impressive opener Nonkululeko Thabethe (94 off 121) broke the back of the chase.
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